Improvement in machine-made ruffles



7 UNITED '1 STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABBY H. PRICE, OF NEWr YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MAGIC RUFFLE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

iMPRovEMENT in MACHINE-MADE RUFFLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABBY H. PRICE, of the city, county, and State ot' New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Ruffle, which I term a Puf-Rufe and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof. i

My new rufe is made on a sewing'machine, and the plaits or gathers are made and permanently confined ata single operation of the machine. A single series of sewing-machine stitches holds the gathers when the rufrle is completed, and no temporary or other series is required at any stage of themannfacture. lu these'respects my new ruffle resembles the ruftles patented. to Geo. B. Arnold in 1860. It is an improvement thereon, and differs therefrom in the fact that the gathered stuff is peculiarly arranged, as will appear below. y

The accompanying drawings-form a part of this specification. All are on an enlarged scale. The tints are employed merely to distinguish the sections of the gathered stuifand thread.

Figure l represents the position of the parts in a sewing-machine during the process of manufacture. It shows a cross-"section of the goods and of the adjacent parts of the machine, taken in the plane of the needle, the function ot the gathering mechanism being supposed tohavenot yet been performed. Fig. 2 represents the goods after they have been sewed together and removed from the machine, the gathers having been produced and secured in the interim, but the same not being shown in this view.- Fig. 3. is a corresponding crosssection, partly in perspective, showing the gathers. Thisv view exhibits my new ruffle complete as it comes from the sewing-machine, ready for use. Fig. 4i shows the same in the act of being opened or puffedan operation which causes it toassuine an inflated condition. Fig. 5 represents the ruffle in partial perspective after it has been thus opened or puffed. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section in the plane of the stitches. Figs. 7 and S show some of the varieties of my rufie, Fig. 7 being Without a binding and. Fig-8 with both a binding and a cord.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

To produce vmy new ruffle I have used with success'and prefer a sewing-machine in which a double feeder is employed, as described in a patent issued to George B. Arnold, dated May '8, 1860. I have used also and prefer in the manufacture of my ruflie with the binding a fully describe its construction and' use by the aid of the drawings and of the letters of reference marked thereon, describing first the'variety which has a plain binding, as seen in Figs. l to 6, inclusive.

A A' is a thin strip of muslin having a width a little more than twice as great as the l rufe desired. In cutting the strip I prefer to out it crosswise of the piece of goods, so that it may be more easily gathered, and I make such strip continuous by sewing a number to' gether end to end. I tix an ordinary foldinggage upon the sewing-machine and pass this strip through it, so that it is delivered under the separator folded along the middle, the two halves A and A lying tightly pressed to.

gether, so that both may be gathered lby the feeder in the same manner as a single thickness ofthe thicker material would be gathered.

B B is a narrow strip of muslin, similarly' folded lin its center and introduced above the separator. It may be stiffer than A A', and I prefer to cut it lengthwise of the piece. ofgoods.

C C C, Sto., are lock-stitches formed by t-he sewing-machine and holding the gatliersfirmly in place. The gathers are formed and confined by these stitches as the goods pass through the machine. 'lhe feeders, acting under `the doubled strip A A in the manner ordinarily exhibt-ed in gathering a single strip., 'crumple up, shorten, and in common language gather both thicknesses of stuff A `and A., and the needle descends and embraces and contines them with a single series of stitches, and the doing up.77

erse through the space between these partsa piece of wood or other material ot' a suitable form, crowdingor compressing the ruffle in the direction of its length as it is passed along.

l), Fig. 4, represents a cross-section of a piece of hardwood serving in this manner, and the wolk of thus preparing my rutile, either when new or after it has been washed, is very slight, and will present no difficulty to a skillful laundress.

I wish it distinctly understood that although my new rui'le may with some propriety be designated puff-ruffle,77 in order to give it a distinctive name andbecause of its adaptability or readiness to' be pui'ed in the manner referred to, I do not confine my invention to such use alone of my ruffle. My ruft-1e is ready for use in either a collapsed condition, as shown in Fig. 3, before the pnng has been done, or in the extended condition shown in Fig. 5, after the puffing has been done. In either condition it is advantageous. In the condition shown in Fig. 3 its appearance at a little distance is like the Arnold rufde referred to; but. it dil'ers very materially therefrom in having no hem. The hem in the Arnold ruffle is lia-l ble to become disturbed and frayed ont at intervals, especially after a severe washiu g and Mine is free from risk of such accidents. My ruffle in .its collapsed state can be uted, if desired, and can be treated in every respect like the Arnold ruffle with the ad vantage of being more durable and more absolutely uniform by reason of the absence of the hem, and with the additional advantage of being susceptible of putting, as described, and thus readily distended and crimped.

My invention is not necessarily made with a binding. Fig. 7 shows a cross-section ot'm y ruffle formed without a binding and having its gathers held by the thread alone, being like in .this respect to the ruftie described in the pat ent issued to Geo. B. Arnold, dated the 25th of September, 1860, but differing therefrom in being formed of equal parts A and A', folded and confined as described. Fig. 8 shows my v new rufde with a binding and a cord. The cord is introduced in the manner described in a patent issued to me bearing even date here with; but the rufllle shown in Fig. 8 differs from those shown in my said other patent in having the two equal parts A and A folded -and cnntined in the manner above described.

ABBY. H. PRICE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS D. STETsoN, D. W. STErsoN. n 

